Dateline: 14 May 2023
Just a quick ‘photo essay’ of birds seen on the Pine Tree Trail on Sunday, Presque Isle State Park. More or less just before noon.
Multiple Great Crested Flycatcher seen in the last week or two:
Great Crested Flycatcher are great, wow.
The “bird of the day,” the always cute and amazing (and uncommonly seen at Presque Isle) Wilson’s Warbler:
More Wilson’s Warbler!
[Editor’s Note: after this post, officially done with Castaway jokes. Bleh.]
Been remiss in delaying this year’s obligatory “goose babies” post. (Sans Ryan Gosling jokes.) Rough spring in Erie, with frequent cold snaps – back in April, saw at least two abandoned nests. Now, plenty of little ones at Presque Isle and elsewhere. (These closeup shots along the Long Pond trail.)
Family with juveniles (close to adult plumage) in Millcreek Twp (“Gateway to Presque Isle”):
Same location/day, another family or two with younger, post-chick adolescents:
Dateline: 13-14 May 2023
Spectacular weekend at Presque Isle State Park. Friday weather: sunny, mild; Saturday: foggy morning, then mostly clear, warm, humid; Sunday: clear, very windy, cooler; Monday: cool, sunny. Trails have benefited from the run of dry weather; all in good condition except the ‘usual suspects’ (Gull Point ‘inner old’ and ‘middle old’ trails; Long Pond west end; Duck Pond; B Trail; etc.)
Finally got a BirdingPI.com team back to Gull Point on Sunday; full report to follow. Not ideal conditions with the wind, but fascinating/notable Blue Jay migratory activity – cumulatively, hundreds of Blue Jays spotted over the Gull Point Trail area, flying generally west to east against the stiff NE wind. Speculating they were intending to head north into Canada, but having difficultly from the weather.
Example Blue Jay in flight:
Following don’t do it justice, but still fun/interesting:
Elsewhere, not enough data yet for substantive comments on shorebird migration. (Based on recent sightings of Spotted Sandpiper, Yellowlegs, Dunlin, etc., seems normal so far.) Vireo and flycatcher activity seems normal. For warblers, no BirdingPI.com sightings yet of ‘usuals’ Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Northern Parula, etc. Normal levels of Magnolia, Palm, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, & Chestnut-sided Warbler activity. Always plenty of Yellow Warbler activity at Presque Isle, but seems like more than usual this year – Yellow Warblers everywhere!
Warbler shots above taken adjacent the swamp/pond north of Pine Tree Trail:
Shots above: SE and SW views of Pine Tree Trail swamp/pond (Pine Tree Trail is past the screen of trees), taken adjacent the main park road by Sunset Point. (This view previously inaccessible until recent brush removal.)
American Redstart always a Presque Isle spring/summer regular, but more activity this year than past. (Multiple males and females spotted at both Presque Isle and Scott Park.) Photographs of a male by Beach No. 11 parking area:
Also more Baltimore Oriole, American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Towhee, & Gray Catbird! activity this year.
Coming up soon, more Pine Tree Trail, and Gull Point! Also, Wild Turkeys on full display!
[Editor’s Note: characterizations of bird activity are anecdotal and based on field reports from an informal (non-scientific) birding perspective.]
By special request (‘shout out’ to NJT), a bonus post of rather lovely shots of beautiful Pileated Woodpecker along the Pine Tree Trail, Presque Isle State Park, Sunday 14 May 2023.
Dateline: 13 May 2023
Another day on the Pine Tree Trail, Presque Isle State Park, another BirdingPI.com “first time anywhere” sighting – this time an amazing Blue-winged Warbler (m) on Saturday! (Literally amazed. Again.)
ID tips: overall yellow; distinctive black “eye line;” white wing bars. Blue wings (ahem). Distinctive ‘trilling’ call, almost insect-like; see All About Birds.
[Photo Editor’s Note: Difficult shooting conditions under foggy morning skies in thick vegetation. Very lucky to get the “ok” shots above. Following are more typical examples; in each shot, subject is approximately @ very center:
After an informal poll of BirdingPI.com staff, Pine Tree Trail rated as #1 “interior trail” at Presque Isle State Park. (#1 trail overall: Gull Point Trail. Of course.)
With the recent spell of good weather and warm temps, things are heating up at Presque Isle State Park, Erie, PA. Bird-wise that is. Recent “first of 2023” sightings: Great Crested Flycatcher; Rose-breasted Grosbeak; Ruby-throated Hummingbird; American Redstart; Black-throated Green Warbler; Magnolia Warbler; Black-throated Blue Warbler; at least a vireo or two (Red-eyed Vireo or Warbling Vireo?); etc.
Of special note, a recent, first ever anywhere BirdingPI.com sighting of an amazing Hooded Warbler (m) along the Pine Tree Trail! (Literally amazing – wow.)
Stay tuned for more birds, including gulls eating dead fish in Lake Erie!
More fun shots of Blue-gray Gnatcatcher adjacent Thompson Bay swamp/pond:
Another “new for 2023” Presque Isle warbler, the lovely Chestnut-sided Warbler! Recent shots from very high up in the trees on the east end of Long Pond Trail:
Very tough conditions shooting that high up into the trees. Two photos above were the best out of several dozen. Other “ok” shots:
BirdingPI.com 2023 warbler count currently at 7! A slow but steady start. (Yellow-rumped, Palm, Yellow, Black-and-white, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Waterthrush, & Chestnut-sided.)
Dateline: 6 May 2023
More from the weekend @ Presque Isle State Park, Erie, PA.
Another BirdingPI.com “first for 2023,” the always beautiful Eastern Kingbird, in a tree @ “Pine Tree Meadows:”
Very happy to see a BirdingPI.com favourite back for 2023, the lovely Black-and-white Warbler along the Pine Tree Trail:
At Thompson Circle, not sure what bird this is (!):
Perhaps an immature Brown-headed Cowbird?
[Editor’s Note: bird above is a female Brown-headed Cowbird]
